It had its origins in the sandy past

Of Atlantic City, the old boardwalk

And the short blocks, the brief alleys

And small businesses with names

Decalled over long empty windows.

Pepper Alley they called one Italian street;

The Church of St. Michael the Archangel

Still stands, but across from a vast

Parking lot, of the kind Ducktown

Had no need for in the past, when houses

Were built for family use, small yet

Somehow roomy, facing the Atlantic wind;

Eventually demolished to make room

For cars, and the extra space they require

And the nothing else they need.

Ducktown Tavern Open 24-7: a neon

Reminder that whatever the changes,

It’s hard to kill a name, and you are in Jersey.